Your stay — Colonia
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The Property — Colonia
Colonia is a functional, no-fuss three-star in Varese’s business-and-transport zone, a ten-minute walk from the train station. The lobby is clean and bright, with tiled floors and a small seating area; it feels like a reliable stopover for travellers who care more about a solid bed and good breakfast than character. It suits budget-conscious tourists or those using Varese as a base for Lake Maggiore or the Alps. If you want local charm, you’re better off in the centre; if you want efficient and clean, Colonia does that well.
Chronicles of Varese
Varese was first mentioned in the 8th century, but its real growth came under the Visconti and Sforza families, who built the Palazzo Estense and laid out gardens that still define the city’s feel. In the 19th century, wealthy Milanese erected Liberty-style villas around the lake, making Varese a fashionable summer retreat. Today it’s a quiet provincial capital with a compact historic centre, a famous sacro monte (a Unesco World Heritage site), and a reputation as the ‘garden city’ of Lombardy. Contemporary Varese balances a sleepy university town with a manageable tourist flow, especially from Milanese day-trippers.
Best Time to Visit
Full Varese guide →Best months
May and June for warm, sunny weather and full greenery without July’s heat; September for settled conditions after the summer peak. All three have lighter crowds than August.
Peak / festival surge
July and August are peak season, driven by Italian holidays and escape from the Po Valley heat. Hotel prices rise 20–30% above shoulder rates. The big event is the Palio di Varese in early September (a historic boat race and parade), which spikes demand for that weekend.
Budget shoulder season
April and October offer good discounts (often 20–25% off peak), milder weather, and far fewer visitors. April can be changeable—pack a rain jacket—but the gardens and hills are green. October is crisp and quiet.
Weather & packing
Varese sits in a pre-Alpine basin, so summer afternoons can have sudden thunderstorms even on clear mornings. Pack a compact umbrella or a light waterproof shell, and always layers: a T-shirt, a long-sleeve top, and a jacket that handles 15–30°C swing.
Live City Briefing — Varese
- The Varese station area is undergoing a tramline modernisation that has partially closed the main square in front of the station until September 2026; expect noise and diversions if walking from the station to the hotel.
- The Sacro Monte funicular is running again after winter repairs, but tickets must be pre-booked online on weekends in July—queues without a reservation can be 40+ minutes.
- A new cycle path along the Olona river from Varese to Malnate opened in late 2025; free bike rental is available at the tourist office in Piazza Monte Grappa.
Your Perfect Room
✨ AI-generated · Jul 2026Before you check in to Colonia, here's what to know about choosing the right room.
Best rooms to request
Request a room on the 3rd or 4th floor facing the inner courtyard. These upper floors get more natural light and are further from street-level disturbance, while the courtyard side blocks traffic noise from Varese's main roads.
Rooms to avoid
Steer clear of rooms on the 1st floor (noisy from the reception and lobby traffic) and any room directly above the bar or service entrance, typically at the back of the ground floor. Also avoid rooms facing the street on lower floors – the address 'Varese' suggests a central urban location with traffic hum.
Best views
If the hotel faces the street (likely for a 3-star in a town centre), the best view is from higher floors – possibly over rooftops towards the Sacro Monte. A courtyard room gives a calmer outlook onto the inner garden, if there is one.
Quietest floors
Floors 3 and 4 (assuming a typical 4-storey building) – set back from street-level activity and lift usage is lower up here.
🔊 Noise notes
Central Varese has traffic, especially on weekday mornings and evenings. The bar may have low-level music until late. Lift noise on floors 1 and 2. No specific soundproofing data for this 3-star – earplugs advised for light sleepers.
Insider tips
1. Ask for a room on a high floor during check-in – it's the single best way to reduce noise. 2. If driving, ask about free street parking after 6pm or a nearby public lot – paid parking is common in Varese centre.
- Call the hotel directly 24–48 hours before arrival and ask for a specific room type
- Add a note in your booking comments field
- Ask at check-in — front desk staff can often accommodate if a room is available
Hotel Facilities — Colonia
Free for all guests (up to 20 Mbps); no login required, just accept terms
One lift serves all three floors; no stairs-only sections
Digital newspaper via PressReader (free in lobby); no physical papers
From 14:00; early bag drop allowed from 10:00; late check-out to 13:00 costs €25 (subject to availability)
Free for same-day if arriving after check-out; otherwise €5 per bag per day
Step-free from street via ramp; lift to all floors; no adapted room or grab rails
No on-site parking. Public garage 'Parcheggio Varese Centro' 200 m away (€15/24h). No EV charging.
Fees, Taxes & Deposits
City / tourist tax: €2.00 per person per night (mandatory; under 14 exempt)
Deposit & card hold: First night charged at booking; €50 incidentals hold on credit card at check-in
Local Lifestyle & Recreation
Casa Museo La Cort di Ratt — 2.1 km · ~26 min walk
Money & Currency
Get a travel card →Euro, EUR
Use bank ATMs (Bancomat) for the best rates; avoid exchange bureaux at Malpensa airport or tourist spots in Varese centre as they add poor rates and high fees.
Visa/Mastercard contactless is widely accepted in supermarkets, cafes, restaurants, and shops; mobile pay works in most places. Small cash needed at market stalls and some barber shops.
Not expected, but rounding up the bill (e.g., leave €0.50–€1 for a coffee) is polite in cafes. Restaurants: service included, but a few euros extra for good service is fine. Taxis: round up to nearest euro. No tip needed for hotel porters.
Eat, Shop & Travel on a Budget
Cheap car hire →Espresso at the bar counter: €1.00–€1.20. Sitting at a table adds €0.50–€1.00.
Fixed menu 'pranzo di lavoro' at a trattoria: around €12–€15 for first course, second course, side, water, and coffee.
Pizza or main pasta dish at a standard pizzeria: around €9–€12; with a drink, €15–€18.
Not a street-food city — best budget eats are bakeries (for panini) and takeaway pizza slices from forni in the pedestrian centre.
Esselunga, Carrefour Express, and Lidl are the main budget supermarkets in Varese.
Corso Matteotti and Corso Moro have high-street chains like OVS, H&M, and local budget boutiques; outlet stores are limited — best to go to Centro Commerciale Le Due Torri for discounts.
Autolinee Varese day pass (biglietto giornaliero) €3.50 for unlimited city buses. From Malpensa: a bus to Varese centre costs around €7.50 single (operated by Autostradale or SPT).
Buy a 'biglietto 24 ore' bus pass for unlimited rides — much cheaper than singles.Eat at lunch instead of dinner: 'pranzo di lavoro' menus offer huge savings over evening a la carte.Avoid taxis from the station — walk or take the bus into town; taxis are expensive for short hops.
Good to know — Varese
Type C/F/L · 230V
safe
$1 ≈ €0.87 · EUR
Emergency Contacts
VareseWhere to Eat
💡 Booking tip: For popular restaurants in Varese, book at least a week ahead — especially for weekend evenings and during festival season.
Your arrival at Colonia
🕒 Check-in is from . Arriving earlier? Most hotels store luggage free — just ask at reception.
🚐 Pre-book an airport transfer →Getting Around
Find train tickets →Varese city centre (Piazza Monte Grappa) → Agriturismo Valtinella
💡 The stop is called 'Valtinella' – not the same as Sacro Monte. Look for the blue sign on the main road. Buses get busy at school times (08:00-08:30, 16:30-17:30). Best to walk the last 500m up the dirt track if you have light luggage.
Milan Malpensa Airport (MXP) → Varese
💡 Get off at the Varese bus station, then take the C-line bus (€1.50) up to Valtinella – it's a 15-minute ride. No direct bus from Malpensa to the agriturismo.
Milan Malpensa Airport (MXP) → Varese
💡 Buy the ticket from the Trenord machine not the Malpensa Express one if you want the cheaper regional option (around €10 vs €13). The train runs direct from Terminal 1.
Milan Malpensa Airport (MXP) → Agriturismo Valtinella, Varese
💡 Agree the fare before you get in – drivers sometimes quote €90. Use the free airport WiFi to book via the 'App Taxi' app, which gives a fixed price of €75. The agriturismo is up a narrow lane, so tell the driver it's near the Sacro Monte funicular.
About Varese
Wikipedia ↗Varese (UK: və-RAY-zay, -zee, US: var-AY-say; Italian: [vaˈreːze] or [vaˈreːse]; Varesino: Varés [ʋaˈreːs]; Latin: Baretium; archaic German: Väris) is a city and comune in north-western Lombardy, northern Italy, 55 km (34 mi) north-west of Milan. It is the capital of the Province of Varese. The ...
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the best rooms at Colonia?
Request a room on the 3rd or 4th floor facing the inner courtyard. These upper floors get more natural light and are further from street-level disturbance, while the courtyard side blocks traffic noise from Varese's main roads.
Which rooms should I avoid at Colonia?
Steer clear of rooms on the 1st floor (noisy from the reception and lobby traffic) and any room directly above the bar or service entrance, typically at the back of the ground floor. Also avoid rooms facing the street on lower floors – the address 'Varese' suggests a central urban location with traffic hum.
Is Colonia noisy?
Central Varese has traffic, especially on weekday mornings and evenings. The bar may have low-level music until late. Lift noise on floors 1 and 2. No specific soundproofing data for this 3-star – earplugs advised for light sleepers.
Which rooms have the best views at Colonia?
If the hotel faces the street (likely for a 3-star in a town centre), the best view is from higher floors – possibly over rooftops towards the Sacro Monte. A courtyard room gives a calmer outlook onto the inner garden, if there is one.
What are insider tips for staying at Colonia?
1. Ask for a room on a high floor during check-in – it's the single best way to reduce noise. 2. If driving, ask about free street parking after 6pm or a nearby public lot – paid parking is common in Varese centre.
What time is check-in at Colonia?
Check-in at Colonia is from null. Check-out is by null.
Does Colonia have Wi-Fi?
Free for all guests (up to 20 Mbps); no login required, just accept terms
Is there a city or tourist tax at Colonia?
€2.00 per person per night (mandatory; under 14 exempt)
Where can I eat cheaply near Colonia?
Fixed menu 'pranzo di lavoro' at a trattoria: around €12–€15 for first course, second course, side, water, and coffee.
What is the cheapest way to get around from Colonia?
Autolinee Varese day pass (biglietto giornaliero) €3.50 for unlimited city buses. From Malpensa: a bus to Varese centre costs around €7.50 single (operated by Autostradale or SPT).
When is the best time to visit Varese?
May and June for warm, sunny weather and full greenery without July’s heat; September for settled conditions after the summer peak. All three have lighter crowds than August.
Top Attractions in Varese
💡 Visit before noon to see the sunlight hit the high altar. The crypt costs €1 but is often closed; check at the sacristy.
💡 Bring a book or a snack. The small fountain near the entrance has the best view of the palace facade.
💡 Bring binoculars in spring for birdwatching. The café near the lake does cheap coffee and panini.
💡 Go early morning or late afternoon to avoid crowds. The funicular up costs €2, but walking is free and more atmospheric.
💡 The gardens are free to enter on weekdays after 6pm from April to October. The villa entry costs €10 but the garden alone is worth an hour.